On Dec. 27, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology publicly solicited opinions on the Notice of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology on Further Improving the Mobile Internet Application Service Capability (Draft for Comments) (hereinafter referred to as the Notice). The Notice puts forward relevant requirements in terms of improving the perception of whole-process services, protecting the legitimate rights and interests of users, improving the ability of whole-chain management, and creating a healthy service ecosystem.

In improving the perception of the whole process of services and protecting the legitimate rights and interests of users, the Notice puts forward the following contents. The first is regulating the installation and uninstallation behaviors to ensure informed consent for installation, and the App for downloading that is recommended to users shall expressly indicate the information of developers, product functions, privacy policies, permission lists and other necessary information in an authentic, accurate and complete manner. It is not allowed to download APP automatically or compulsorily, or force users to download by folding display, active pop-up and frequent prompt when standardizing the recommended download behavior of web pages and users browse the contents of the pages. It is also not allowed to maliciously obstruct users from uninstalling by means of blank names, transparent icons, background hiding. The second is to optimize the service experience, ensure that users can choose to close the window, inform the service items in advance, start the operation scenario reasonably, and remind the service renewal in time. The third is to strengthen the protection of personal information, adhere to the principle of legality, legitimacy and necessity, express the rules for personal information processing, and reasonably apply for use rights. The fourth is to respond to customer demands, set up customer service hotline, and properly handle customer complaints.

As for improving the whole chain management capability and creating a healthy service ecosystem, the Notice proposes to implement the main responsibility of APP development operator, strengthen the platform distribution management, standardize the SDK application service, build up the terminal security defenses, and enhance the responsibility of access enterprise.

In addition, the Notice also put forward the work requirements in terms of organization and implementation, strengthening supervision and guidance, tightening technical means, and promoting industry self-discipline.